A Hindus' Journey and quest to understand religion, spirituality, and culture

Quotes by Mahnidhi Swami

“As Krsna remains always grateful to His servitors, a devotee should always feel grateful toward the Lord and guru. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, “Even if a devotee serves Krsna for one thousand universal creations, he cannot repay the debt he feels to Krsna for having received the opportunity to serve Him.” HH Mahanidhi Swami

If I was a devotee who is serving krishna or has served krishna for one thousand universal creation, he cannot repay? why? It is a debt he feels to krishna. Okay, understood. It is the debt he feels to krsna for having received the opportunity to serve him. So he owes to Sri krishna for giving an opportunity to serve him? 🙂 —- What a devotee.

We are surrounded by friends – the only enemy is within.” HH Mahanidhi SwamiBottom of Form

What does surrounded mean to you? So EVERYWHERE you go you are surrounded by friends? What if you went to the wrong part of the Bombay? Slums for example. Who is the enemy then?

“Devotees are not impressed by the poverty or wealth in material sense in any way; what impresses is devotion.” HH Radhanath Swami

If you are not impressed by devotion, you are impressed by poverty and wealth.

Speaking in such a way as to hurt another person’s heart out of carelessness, envy or ego is to cause violence by the mouth – HH Radhanath Swami

Violence by the mouth sounds like this: Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Our consciousness and our motivations in life are like spectacles having different colors, which make everything appear tainted. Association of saintly people and regular spiritual practices give us the vision and the philosophical ideal which help us see the world. HH Randanath Swami

Let me read it again: Our consciousness and our motivations in life are spectacles having different colors which make everything appear tained ——– Are we talking about “cooling glasses?”

Religion is not simply a sectarian identification that we socially accept within our life. Religion is the process of purifying our heart; a process of taking shelter of the Supreme Lord.
– HH Radhanath Swami

Religion is a process of purifying your heart — Is that process prescribed? Religion is the process of purifying our heart —- What is this process again? To me it is the process of going into the temple and out of the temple, finding A PROCESS of taking shelter of the supreme Lord. I am talking about poverty in India.

‎“Real religion is about, developing real character; character of compassion, character of humility, the character of determination to grow in all circumstances.” HHRadhanath Swami

The real “characters” are: character of compassion, character of humility, character of determination. If you put those three you will have a real character —– Anna Hazare fighting against corruption.

SB 10.10.15: A poverty-stricken man must automatically undergo austerities and penances because he does not have the wealth to possess anything. Thus his false prestige is vanquished. Always in need of food, shelter and clothing, he must be satisfied with what is obtained by the mercy of providence. Undergoing such compulsory austerities is good for him because this purifies him and completely frees him from false ego.

One: Whose false ego will austerities purify? A poverty-stricken man?Two: I have a solution — There is only one way a proverty-stricken man can automatically undergo austerities —- “automatically” open the doors — of your “enclave” 🙂

“Krsna takes special care of the devotee, guides him, gives him intelligence. What kind of intelligence? Just to give him the clue how one can go back to home, back to Godhead. Krishna does not give intelligence how one can gain some material prosperity. Therefore people are not very much interested in worshiping Krishna.”

HDG Srila Prabhupada Bombay, September 26, 1973

Krishna does not give intelligence how one can gain some material prosperity. So, if Krishna does not give intelligence you can’t gain material prosperity? Why? Krishna thinks you would not be interested in worshipping him.

I call this irreligion.

‎“If you stretch your heart and strain your brain you can always find some good in everyone. No one is absolutely bad – through and through.” HH Mahanidhi SwamiBottom of FormStrain — Are you talking about “filtering” your brain? In which case you would find someone good.

Wherever we find the teachings, the association, and the inspiration to purify our lives, to lead a life of integrity and humility, and to live in a spirit of selfless service—that’s where we are going to find the deepest experience of God.
I could not agree with you more Mahanidhi swami. 🙂

‎“In Kali-yuga, the mind is so lazy that it wants to quit without even trying. If one is not immediately successful, the mind will say – “Oh. I cant do it. I quit!”” HH Mahanidhi Swami

This world revolves around action. Quitting is not an option.

‎“The bird of the mind flies on two wings: the past and the future. Cut off the wings! Be here, now: hear, chant and remember – love, serve and surrender.” HH Mahanidhi Swami

‎”The bird of the mind flies on two wings: the past and the future.” Is this still Hinduism? What is bird of the mind? I still can’t figure it out —– but I can see birds around the mind. So lets READ TOGETHER ONE MORE TIME the bird of the mind flies on two wings: the past and the future. Cut off the wings! Ye PAP HAY! [This is sin] So if we cut off the wings —- we are more in the present, can hear, chant and remember — love, serve and surrender. So the experience of chanting is really not “transcedental” —- Because you just cut off the wings.

‎“Chanting the holy name without service attitude produces sound but no divinity – like a gun firing blanks, instead of bullets.” HH Mahanidhi SwamiBottom of FormWhat is service attitude? —- Service ke Attitude?

To the degree our actions are selfish, it cannot satisfy the heart. A selfless act is that in which we are truly giving ourselves for the object of our love.
– HH Radhanath Swami

I love it! 🙂

‎“Whether your mind is your best friend or worst enemy – know for sure that he is here to stay. So you had better get to know him!”

HH Mahanidhi Swami

Okay, if your mind is your best friend you can post on my wall. But if your mind is your wrost enemy please get to know him else where.

My mind was gone when I last wrote this.

“To have mental concentration one must be cheerful and peaceful. By cultivating friendship with equals, respect for seniors, compassion for juniors and indifference towards sinners one will destroy envy, hatred and aversion and become happy and serene.” HH Mahanidhi Swami

Hearing this brings me peace.

“In order to progress in devotion we have to learn the workings of the mind, popularly known as human psychology. So a good bhakta is a good psychologist.” HH Mahanidhi Swami

Most definetely agreed. Truth seekers to me are also good physchologists. How many really understand the workings of others mind?

SB 10.10.11: While alive, does this body belong to its employer, to the self, to the father, the mother, or the mother’s father? Does it belong to the person who takes it away by force, to the slave master who purchases it, or to the sons who burn it in the fire? Or, if the body is not burned, does it belong to the dogs that eat it? Among the many possible claimants, who is the rightful claimant? Not to ascertain this but instead to maintain the body by sinful activities is not good.

Yes! While alive this body does belong to its employer — How else is it going to stay alive:)

To the self — I hope it is attached to me —- like the clothes.

To the father — our heavenly lord.

To The mother —- India.

The mother’s father — grandpa!!!

Does it belong to a person who takes it away by force — only if you are a slave master who purchases it.

To the sons who burn the body in the fire — See Cremation*

If the body is not burned it does belong to the dogs that eat it — Telugu movie Karma*

Among the many possible claimants, who is the rightful claimant — The “bald” eagle.

All this not to ascertian? Ascertian means to find something out for certain.

But to certainly find out how I maintain the body — priceless!

I am just being funny.

I actually didn’t understand SB 10.10.11 🙂

Isckon practices are very different from Hinduism and Vedic Indian culture. Priceless what speaks to you and does not speak to you.

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About Iksvakave

I am on a quest to understand my religion --- Hinduism. I have decided to keep a log of my discoveries, and experiences and what I have come to learn in the process. I like to travel through people vicariously. To observe the working of the mind, body and spirit. And heart. The soul infact is what our bodies have and what we are ultimately or in the end! The pricelessness of the soul is a soul is only potentially divine. Our journey here is therefore to understand that divinity in our lives. The ideals of societies, language, culture religion, and spirituality, is what interests me. what we know and don't know and outside of our four walls, maybe the priceless truth of that journey here on earth also, our yoga to be learned and equally perfected in life. What this blog is about is the values of the mother tongue India. And the values and culture of India and my nationality America. Pricelessness of it one will come to know you see. The forehead, is the center of the Hindu conscious.
veena kodali